# Better chance of being elected POTUS? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 25, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147 "2016-01-25T02:24:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/1 "2016-01-25T02:24:42Z")
An atheist or an openly gay candidate? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/2 "2016-01-25T03:00:04Z")
It’s an interesting cultural clash, but I think the antigay impulse is stronger. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/3 "2016-01-25T03:59:05Z")
It’s possible that an atheist has already been elected as President: neither Abe Lincoln nor Andrew Johnson seems to have had strong Christian beliefs or affiliations, while if Tom Jefferson ran today, he’d be sure to be attacked for his unconventional deism. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/4 "2016-01-25T04:02:57Z")
Let’s make the person an openly atheist candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/5 "2016-01-25T05:06:20Z")
The openly gay candidate has a much better chance than an atheist. It is not possible to over-estimate how much atheists are distrusted and otherwise maligned. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/6 "2016-01-25T06:10:15Z")
As an openly-gay atheist, I’d have to say the gay person has a better chance of being elected. Most people, except the hardcore homophobic, understand that sexual orientation is not a choice. But most people recognize that atheists have chosen their beliefs, or lack thereof. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/7 "2016-01-25T06:25:10Z")
There’s one key difference: Being gay does not mean having to oppose heterosexuality. Whereas being an openly proud atheist, to a certain extent, means having to \*oppose \*religion - claiming that there is no God, etc., especially if asked during a debate, Q&A, etc. In fact, many atheists thrive off of ridiculing and mocking Christians, etc. For that reason, many religious people would consider an atheist candidate more of a threat than a gay candidate, because the atheist is claiming that their religion is fake. _The viewpoint that God does not exist, and the belief that He does exist, are mutually incompatible._ Whereas a gay person and a straight person don’t automatically have reason to clash. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/8 "2016-01-25T06:29:28Z")
To further elaborate: A straight person’s sexual orientation isn’t at odds with a gay person’s sexual orientation. Everyone minds their own business. But theism and atheism _are by their very nature contradictory, with each claiming that the other is false._ ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/9 "2016-01-25T16:08:48Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > As an openly-gay atheist, I’d have to say the gay person has a better chance of being elected. Most people, except the hardcore homophobic, understand that sexual orientation is not a choice. But most people recognize that atheists have chosen their beliefs, or lack thereof. Yes, but I think it matters how militant the atheist is, and how effeminate the gay man is. A lesbian probably wouldn’t have too much of an issue, relatively speaking, especially if she was conventionally attractive. I think a gay man of the Anderson Cooper mold would have few issues whereas a gay man of the J Alexander mold would NEVER be elected. In short, I think it depends on the man or the woman. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/10 "2016-01-25T16:13:06Z")
The latest [poll data](http://www.gallup.com/poll/183713/socialist-presidential-candidates-least-appealing.aspx) I’m aware of has the homosexual candidate winning over the atheist candidate. (Heck, it has the _Muslim_ candidate winning over the atheist candidate.) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/11 "2016-01-25T22:38:43Z")
Tell me about them. If they’re both standard liberal Democrats, I’d never vote for either. But hey, George Will is a self-described agnostic and I’d certainly vote for him over my fellow Catholics Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden. I need to know more about these hypothetical candidates, and about their opponents. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-chance-of-being-elected-potus/744147/12 "2016-01-25T23:01:38Z")
I’d say a gay person. In today’s climate opposing a candidate for being gay would result in scorn (which is a good thing); opposing a candidate for being atheist is reasonable.